Mum's Crusade Against Uncleanliness at Children's Parties

In an effort to reduce waste and promote sustainability, No Crap Parties, an initiative launched by the Austrian Red Cross in 2020, has recently introduced the Kids' Party Pact. This digital pledge encourages parents to take a low-waste approach to hosting and attending birthday parties for children aged 11 and under.

Charlotte Mason-Curl, a passionate advocate for the movement, believes that kids don't notice or care if something is secondhand. She has launched a crowdfunding campaign to devote more time to the No Crap Parties campaign, with the ambitious goal of getting one million families to sign the Kids' Party Pact.

The pact includes agreeing not to give plastic-filled party bags, giving secondhand, homemade, or experience gifts (or none), and issuing guidance on greener gifts for their own children. Parents can choose to sign whichever parts of the appeal that resonate with them.

One alternative to traditional party bags is 'Fiver parties', where guests contribute £5 each towards a big-ticket item, such as a new bike or a book. Another popular option is preloved book and toy swaps, where children exchange their gently used items.

The gifting aspect of kids' parties can often be stressful or even shameful for many parents, while only a small percentage enjoy it. However, the Kids' Party Pact has been met with overwhelmingly positive and relieved responses from parents.

If successful, the Kids' Party Pact could prevent more than 20 million plastic items from being unnecessarily bought and thrown away each year. After parties and presents, Mason-Curl plans to focus on reducing waste during Halloween and Christmas.

No Crap Parties provides resources to ease potential tension, including suggested wording for invites to help parents communicate their stance without causing conflict. A successful example of a creative party inspired by the Kids' Party Pact is a party in the woods featuring a dinosaur treasure hunt and chocolate eggs.

The movement to replace traditional gifting conventions with more sustainable and joyful alternatives is gaining momentum. Heidi, a child, had a book swap for her birthday, which inspired another child to have a toy swap for their party. The Kids' Party Pact is a step towards a more sustainable future for children's birthday celebrations.